Local swim school highlighting the importance of swim safety for everyone

HANAHAN, S.C. (WCBD) — Swimming is a popular activity enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities as the weather warms up in the summer.

With many people visiting the pool or a local beach, MarTar Swim School is helping children and adults on the spectrum safely learn life-saving skills.

“I’ve been teaching swim lessons since I was 12 and I’m a dinosaur, so it’s a long time I’ve been in the water, and I have not ever gotten out of the water,” shared Tara Girch, owner of MarTar Swim School which teaches everyone how to swim starting at two months old.

“Soon as a child can hold their own head up, they should be in the water. As soon as kids can crawl, they learn how to run, and as soon as they can run, they run to the water, especially if they have siblings because they want to follow their sibling wherever they’re going,” said Girch.

From babies to adults, the swim school just so happens to specialize in teaching swim lessons for people with special needs.

“So, the number one cause of death for children with autism is drowning. They are drawn to the water because of its calmness and it’s sparkly and everything about it, that once they’re under there it’s so quiet, but if they don’t know how to swim, they don’t come back,” explains Girch who has made it her mission to teach students how to swim safely.

Shelby Davis, 9, loves going to the pool and swimming. Her dad, Jason, has watched her confidence and skills grow with each lesson.

“She has Down Syndrome and so it just, it’s a process, it’s learning and growing, just as it is with all of my kids,” shared Jason.

Teaching each student at their level, the swim lessons focus on the individual student, their current skills, and ability.

“She went from not being able to swim across and back to now being able to swim across. A big feat for her was going under the water. She was really scared of going under the water and so that’s a huge thing from when we started to now,” said Jason.

With each swim lesson, the school uses a variety of techniques, modifications, and adaptations.

“We find out what their specific triggers are, or their specific learning abilities are, and we have the same lesson, the same type of program for every single solitary person that comes to us. We use visual aids. We have, we use sign language, we use nonverbal cues. We use the same equipment, but the way we present it to a child with a disability is different,” explained Girch.

Swimming is a life-saving skill everyone should learn.

“Drowning is silent and it’s preventable and so that’s the importance of swim lessons for kids with disabilities,” said Girch.

Interested local businesses can help the swim school’s mission by sponsoring a child’s swim lesson. For more information, click here .

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